Planning & Environmental

Carson McDowell is the leading planning and environmental law firm in Northern Ireland.

Our Planning & Environmental Law team has unparalleled experience in providing specialist legal advice on large, complex and high profile projects including those of regional significance. We have environmental solicitors that specialise exclusively in the areas of planning, environmental and energy law.

The team is the top-ranked firm for Planning and Environmental law in Northern Ireland in The Legal 500. It is also ranked in the highest band by The Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession for both Planning Law and Environmental Law in Northern Ireland.

In addition, Carson McDowell’s Planning and Environmental Law team is the largest such team in Northern Ireland, with each team member practising exclusively in planning and environmental law.

Over the last 25 years, we have built a reputation for advising on major planning and environmental applications; instigating / defending judicial reviews of planning and environmental decisions; and representation of clients at major public inquiries / appeals into major planning and environmental applications.

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What we do

Judicial Reviews of Planning and Environmental Decisions

Co-ordination of Planning Applications

Representation at Public Inquiries and Appeals Before the Planning Appeals Commission Advising local authorities

Major Infrastructure Projects

Renewable Energy Projects

Minerals

Major Housing Proposals

Education Projects

Retail Developments

Planning and Environmental Due Diligence The lawfulness of Environmental Impact assessment

Strategic Environmental Assessment

The lawfulness of Habitats Regulation Assessments

Enforcement

Planning Agreements

Roads Agreements

Waste Law

Contaminated Land

Incineration Projects

Anaerobic Digestion Projects

Material Recovery Facilities

Energy from Waste Projects

Advice on Recycling Legislation

Statutory Nuisance

Advising on Air Pollution Control; and Advising on Noise Pollution Control

Need to talk to a Legal Professional?

If you have a planning or environmental law query or just want to find out more about our team and expertise, please get in touch today.

Nicole McAlorum

Planning & Environmental Experience

North-South Electricity Interconnector Project

Advising and coordinating the successful planning applications for the Northern Ireland element of the North-South electricity interconnector project connecting the electricity grids of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland including the successful defence of judicial review proceedings challenging the lawfulness of the planning permissions.

Linen Mill Studios Limited

Advising Linen Mill Studios Limited on its successful planning application for a Game of Thrones Studio Tour attraction near Banbridge, County Down.

Islandmagee Energy Limited

Advising Islandmagee Energy Limited on its proposal to store up to 500 million cubic metres of natural gas in salt caverns near Islandmagee, County Antrim.

Tesco

Advising Tesco on planning proposals and judicial reviews of planning decisions across Northern Ireland including a judicial review of a planning permission for a proposed ASDA store in north Belfast.

Advising a consortium of national and international companies on their successful application seeking planning permission to extract up to 1.5 million tonnes of sand each year from Lough Neagh.

Belfast Harbour Commissioners and Odyssey Trust

Advising Belfast Harbour Commissioners and Odyssey Trust on the preparation of a major planning application and accompanying environmental statement seeking planning permission for 700 residential units, 2 hotels, retail services, restaurants and a multi storey car park on lands adjacent to the SSE Arena in Belfast.

Turkington Holdings Limited

Advising Turkington Holdings Limited on its successful planning application for planning permission for a major new Amazon warehouse in Portadown, County Armagh.

Southern Regional College

Advising Southern Regional College in relation to a major planning application for a new £45million education campus in Craigavon including the successful defence of judicial review proceedings challenging the lawfulness of the planning permission.

Breedon Group

Advising the Breedon Group in the defence of several judicial review proceedings taken by individual residents in relation to its operations at Mullaghglass Landfill in Lisburn.

Sectors

Energy & Renewables

Food & Agriculture

Retail

Education

Transport & Infrastructure

Waste

Manufacturing

Hospitality & Leisure

What Our Clients Say

"Carson McDowell is a ferocious planning team. They have incredibly experienced and talented lawyers on their team which is not matched by any other team in NI."

— The Legal 500

"The team do a very thorough job. They communicate regularly, so they don't leave you in the dark and have a collaborative approach in order to do what is best for their client."

— Chambers UK

"Gary provides a commercial perspective and is very knowledgeable. He has fantastic experience in the planning market. He knows the market and the law."

— Chambers UK

“Very good practice with an excellent team who fully understand the workings of our system here in Northern Ireland. They have a great network of contacts who are able to provide expert advice on a vast range of subjects.”

— The Legal 500

“Gary McGhee is the partner you want on your side. He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of planning and environmental law. A great strategist on large complex cases but is also incredibly personable.”

— The Legal 500

“The team at Carson McDowell are the most formidable in NI. They have a wealth of experience and the largest team, which other firms in NI simply can’t compete with.”

— The Legal 500

News & Insights

4 October 2024

Carson McDowell receives a new accolade for exceptional client satisfaction from the Legal500 Editorial Team

1 August 2024

Northern Ireland Court of Appeal makes new ruling on matters which should be referred to the executive committee in the context of environmental consenting

1 August 2024

Flash briefing – Court of Appeal in England rules that an Appropriate Assessment may be required at a subsequent approval stage

17 July 2024

The Northern Ireland High Court quashes the Planning Appeal Commission’s grant of two change of use applications on short term holiday let accommodation.

20 June 2024

Supreme Court Issues Significant Judgment on the Assessment of Downstream Impacts under the EIA Regime

19 June 2024

Flash briefing - Northern Ireland High Court rules on the status of emerging local development plans in determining planning applications

25 July 2023

Local Development Plans and Applicability of Planning Policy

28 June 2023

Gordon Duff v Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council [2023] NICA 22

3 August 2022

Marine licences – can an existing licence be varied to authorise a new activity?

16 June 2022

Colin Glen appoints Carson McDowell in new corporate partnership

7 October 2021

Carson McDowell ranked as the best law firm for Planning and Environmental Law in The Legal 500 Directory for the third consecutive year

5 August 2020

Carson McDowell Advises Infrastrata plc on Marine Licence Application

7 January 2020

Planning & Environmental

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What we do

Need to talk to a Legal Professional?

Key People

Gary McGhee

Grant McBurney

Sarah Dunlop

Faye Phillips

Orla Kelly

Nicole McAlorum

Planning & Environmental Experience

North-South Electricity Interconnector Project

Linen Mill Studios Limited

Islandmagee Energy Limited

Tesco

Belfast Harbour Commissioners and Odyssey Trust

Turkington Holdings Limited

Southern Regional College

Breedon Group

Sectors

Energy & Renewables

Food & Agriculture

Retail

Education

Transport & Infrastructure

Waste

Manufacturing

Hospitality & Leisure

What Our Clients Say

News & Insights

Carson McDowell receives a new accolade for exceptional client satisfaction from the Legal500 Editorial Team

Northern Ireland Court of Appeal makes new ruling on matters which should be referred to the executive committee in the context of environmental consenting

Flash briefing – Court of Appeal in England rules that an Appropriate Assessment may be required at a subsequent approval stage

The Northern Ireland High Court quashes the Planning Appeal Commission’s grant of two change of use applications on short term holiday let accommodation.

Supreme Court Issues Significant Judgment on the Assessment of Downstream Impacts under the EIA Regime

Flash briefing - Northern Ireland High Court rules on the status of emerging local development plans in determining planning applications

Local Development Plans and Applicability of Planning Policy

Gordon Duff v Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council [2023] NICA 22

Marine licences – can an existing licence be varied to authorise a new activity?

Colin Glen appoints Carson McDowell in new corporate partnership

Carson McDowell ranked as the best law firm for Planning and Environmental Law in The Legal 500 Directory for the third consecutive year

Carson McDowell Advises Infrastrata plc on Marine Licence Application

Carson McDowell act on behalf of John Hogg Operational

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